Key health-related events of COP27, held in Vienna, Austria, 6-18 November 2022

Another chance to show the political will to tackle the climate crisis collectively and take effective action will present itself during COP27. Since any discussion of climate change and its effects on the world's population must take into account the significance of global public health and how these factors are inextricably linked with climate change and the environment, the World Health Organization will play a crucial role at the conference by highlighting the health-environment nexus and, more importantly, by ensuring the inclusion of health content in the negotiations. From "energising health: speeding energy access in health-care facilities" to "developing early warning systems and climate resilient food systems," there will be more than forty side events in a dedicated Health Pavilion addressing the intersection of climate change and health. The World Health Organization (WHO) will be advocating for the "health argument" for climate initiatives, bolstering international cooperation, and providing aid to the most vulnerable nations.

Accelerating Electricity Access in Healthcare Facilities; a High-Level Meeting to Focus on "Energizing Health" November 8, 2022: WHO, World Bank, SE4ALL, IRENA

Healthcare facilities and the quality, accessibility, and dependability of the care they provide can only function to the extent that they have reliable and constant access to electricity. The world's hundreds of millions of people are treated in hospitals that lack access to reliable energy. Poor grid infrastructures or broken diesel generators make electricity unreliable even when it is available. Large hospitals typically have access to power, but the percentage of rural clinics that do is far lower.

Effective Health and Climate Change Communication Day is November 8th, 2022.

In order to better advocate for and enable policies that protect health from climate change, WHO is presently cooperating with Health Canada and top communication professionals to produce guidelines and tools for the global health community.

Investment in climate emission reductions means investment in better health for all, and this side event is a chance to promote an open dialogue between policymakers and communication experts, public health and climate communities to reflect on successes, failures, and new opportunities to use the health topic in strategic climate talks as motivational factor to raise more ambitions.

Strengthening Resilient and Sustainable Low-Carbon Health Systems in Africa and the Middle East by November 9, 2022

Event participants will learn about the health advantages to the African and Eastern Mediterranean population, as well as the environmental and climatic co-benefits, that may be realised by implementing ongoing multi-sectoral policies and initiatives in the African and Eastern Mediterranean Regions. Taking stock of existing networks and partnerships, such as the Clim-health, and taking into account the important momentum created in the frames of the COP27, this side event will showcase progress made in promoting the COP26 Health Initiative on Building Climate Resilient and Sustainable Low Carbon Health Systems in the AFRO and EMRO Regions

High level meeting: Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH): 9 November 2022

During this high-level gathering, countries that have already committed to creating climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems will share their experiences and ask other Member States and non-state actors to join ATACH. To achieve the goal of integrating the nexus of climate change and health into national, regional, and global policies, the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) has been hard at work since last year's COP26 in Glasgow.

ATACH is co-convened by the UK and Egypt. As part of this project, over 60 nations have already committed to constructing climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems, and among these, 20 countries have also set a goal date to achieving net- zero carbon emissions from their health systems before 2050.

A moving tale of worldwide cooperation, "Ride for Their Lives 2022" 9 November 2022,

This event will represent the climax of Ride for their Lives 2022 (RFTL2022) (RFTL2022). This year, hundreds of healthcare workers in the United Kingdom, the United States, Colombia, Chile, France, Switzerland, and Italy have been organising bike rides to raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution to children. Doctors and riders who took part in the campaign will share their reflections on the experience and discuss how it has prompted them and their organisations to take additional action.

Promoting Mental Health Through Psychological Science and Practice in the Context of Climate Action Sunday, November 9, 2022,

Psychological health and well-being may suffer as a result of climate change. Various features of climate change—including its increasing severity and the urgency with which action must be taken—have been linked in the psychological literature to increased hostility and other negative mental and physical health outcomes.

Health and Energy Platform of Action (HEPA): Tackling the health-energy-climate nexus through greater capacity, money and activities on the ground to advance clean cooking: Sunday, November 9, 2022,

At this satellite event, partners of the Health and Energy Platform of Action (HEPA) will present the initiatives and programmes they are conducting to provide access to clean home energy in low-income neighbourhoods. Health and energy professionals from HEPA have pledged to move quickly on the subject of clean cooking and to exchange information about what has worked in their respective locations.

Forum for Young People Around the World to Discuss Health and Climate Change. November 8-9, 2022: WHO and the Egyptian Government

In preparation for COP27, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA), and the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) are hosting the first-ever Global Youth Forum on Health and Climate Change.

Urgent action to increase climate change education for all health professionals: 10 November 2022

In June of 2022, the Capacity Building Subcommittee of the WHO-Civil Society Working Group to Advance Action on Climate Change and Health, in partnership with the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, released a special call for strengthening climate change education for all health professionals, along with an Open Letter with recommendations to all health education stakeholders.

When it comes to health and climate change, everyone needs "one vision and one response"—10 November 2022.

This session discusses the relationship between the various aspects of the One Health approach to achieving a healthy balance between people, animals, and ecosystems across time.

Regional views on adapting to the health effects of climate change (from evidence to policy and action): November 10, 2022

Scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is the greatest global health danger of the 21st century. Although the science behind climate change and its effects on human health are undeniable, there is still a great deal of work to be done at the intersection of research, policy making, and ground-level programming.

This session will address gaps in implementation research on risk and response to climate impacts on health, analyse regional methods, problems, and lessons acquired, as well as an emphasis the role of implementation science in public health decision making. After the presentations, there will be a roundtable discussion about the difficulties researchers and public health professionals encounter.

Our Kids'Climate and Parents for a Sustainable Future Press Conference On the 10th of November 2022, mothers from Our Kids'Climate and Parents For Future Global, two networks that bring parents together to take climate action, will make an impassioned plea to world leaders at the COP27 climate summit to prioritise children's health, rights, and futures.

Maya Mailer (Co-Director of Our Kids' Climate and co-founder of UK climate parent organization Mothers' Rise Up) and Lais Fleury (Alana Institute) will join Bhavreen Kandari (Warrior Moms, India) and Xoli Fuyani (Black Girls Rising/Our Kids' Climate, South Africa) at the press conference. They will be joined by Dr Maria Neira, Director for Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO.

Wildland Fires: Planetary and Public Health Solutions: 10 November 2022,

From 1979 to 2022, fire seasons prolonged throughout 25.3% of the Earth’s vegetated surface, resulting in an 18.7% rise in the mean length of the worldwide fire season. Wildfires not only increase greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn exacerbates climate change, but they also cause considerable air pollution, water loss, loss of animals, loss of biodiversity, and loss of human life. A vicious cycle of ever-worsening wildfires and global warming is created as the frequency with which catastrophic flames occurs rises due to climate change.

Changes in Climate and Human Health: 11 November 2022, Climate Classroom

The Climate Classroom is a cutting-edge educational platform meant to familiarise students with many aspects of climate change. Following an interactive lesson plan that includes 15 minutes of substance, 15 minutes of illustration (e.g. a case study or example), 15 minutes of reflection and Q&A, this 45-minute lecture examines the connections between climate change and health.

Promoting the creation of health systems that are both climate-resilient and low-carbon under the ATACH: 11 November 2022

WHO and its partners at COP26 in Glasgow committed to integrating the climate change and health nexus into national, regional, and global plans; creating health systems that are resilient to climate change and sustainable over the long term through the coordinated efforts of WHO Member States and other stakeholders; and increasing the pace and scope with which these efforts are implemented. Priorityareas for this were identified as establishing climate resilient health and low carbon systems, financing commitments and decarbonising supply chains. The Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) is providing a venue for member countries and partners to express perspectives, share information, and promote technical and political co-operation.

Health system decarbonization and resilience transformation on 11 November 2022

How can we promote community resilience through health systems that can be relied upon to last? This event will stimulate a vibrant conversation about experiences from many health systems and contexts, where different solutions are needed to enhance resilience through mitigation, sustainability and adaptation.

This event will be presented in a hybrid style with restricted in-person participation on a first-come, first served basis and live-streaming available on the Health Pavilion webpage. The event will run two hours and will use several formats to foster active engagement from the audience, combined with prominent leaders working in diverse settings and geographical regions.

"The Global Stock Take: using health metrics to accomplish the Paris goals": 12 November 2022, \sThe World Health Organization (WHO) has called the Paris Deal as “potentially the most important public health agreement of the century”. The protection of human life, the health and well-being of populations around the world, and the provision of the immediate health co-benefits of climate action are all factors that should be considered when evaluating the success of the Paris targets.

The Global Stocktake (GST) is a critical step to enable this. To better inform countries on how to update and improve their climate action and international cooperation, the GST is now under development to evaluate collective progress towards fulfilling the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Strengthening the evidence to leave no one behind in the face of climate change, migration, and health The date will be November 12th, 2022.

At COP26, attention was brought to the urgent need to address the complex interplay of climate change, migration, and health. The WHO’s World Report on the Health of Refugees and Migrants explains the risk multiplier effect of climate change, including directly through acute hazards, as well as indirectly through changes to climate, air pollution, and affects on cultures and societies.

Evidence-based policymaking necessitates more community involvement, better data collecting, and a research agenda, all of which will be discussed during the event. Aiming to identify the main challenges and opportunities for action in adaptation and mitigation efforts; sharing experiences, lessons learned, and good practises; and fostering multi-sectoral and intergovernmental collaborations and links between academia, civil society, policymakers, and practitioners, the panel will discuss the current barriers of vulnerable communities, refugees, and migrants to accessing health services.

Date for NDCs to include nutrition and food security measures: 12 November 2022

The goal of this side event is to get people talking about how climate change affects their health and diet. Incorporating nutrition and food security into Nationally Determined Contributions is a key topic that will be covered, along with other specific solutions that address adaptation and mitigation of climate change (NDCs).

On November 12, 2022, the "Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition" (I-CAN) will officially begin.

Due to the two-way nature of the connection between nutrition and climate change, sustainable, resilient, and healthy diets are not only an essential component of good nutrition and a precondition for tackling all kinds of malnutrition, but also a key driver of sustainable development.

The Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN) will be officially launched at the “Adaptation and Agriculture” thematic day during this session to exploit the present heightened global emphasis on food systems transformation. It will focus on win-win policies and activities that decrease climate change and enhance nutrition, especially for children and vulnerable populations, with the help of technical and high-level cooperation from parties, UN agencies, NGOs, and the commercial sector.

Resilience in the face of climate change and health in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on National Adaptation Plans To safeguard population health and enhance the management of various health concerns in a changing climate, the Health National Adaptation Plans (HNAP) define activities to be taken by 12 November 2022. These plans focus on creating health and health systems that are climate resilient. The goal of this session is to help countries in Latin America and the Caribbean understand the HNAP process by providing examples of past successes and lessons learned in the region, with the ultimate goal of getting more countries to submit National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) that include health considerations (LAC).

Climate-just responses to the looming crises in gender-based violence and mental health caused by global warming: On this day, November 14th, 2022,

There are deep and extensive connections between climate change, gender-based violence, and mental health. Climate change and extreme weather events are having a negative impact on women's health and well-being, which is exacerbated by preexisting structural socioeconomic inequality.

Justice, equity, and the right of all people to a reasonable standard of living will be important topics of discussion at this gathering. It I disseminates recent findings regarding the correlation between GBV and women's mental health; ii) fosters in-depth discussion among a panel of experts about "potential solutions" to ensure the safety, protection, and survival of women and girls who have suffered the most devastating individual effects; and iii) provides direction regarding the kinds of support services that are necessary for women and girls.

Prescriptions for a Green New Deal from Climate Clinics: November 14, 2022

At a climate clinic, delegates can stroll in and receive consultations in a setting that mimics a primary care clinic. Delegates and the general public will be encouraged to participate in the clinics, where they will learn about the health effects of climate change and about the many health-promoting solutions that can be found within a Global Green New Deal, including many of those suggested in the Healthy Climate Prescription. The clinics will facilitate conversations about how individuals' work ties to the larger climate justice movement's goals and actions in order to deepen solidarity with the latter.

Changes in the climate and women's health: Monday, November 14

Mothers, young people, and scientists will all get a chance to share their perspectives on the effects of climate change on women's health from a gendered perspective, with a special emphasis on the wellbeing of pregnant women and their newborns, at this special side event. The health system initiatives that have shown promise in protecting mother and newborn health in the face of a warming planet will be discussed, and representatives from many countries and groups will be invited to share their own experiences in the face of these issues. Opportunities to improve women's health will be highlighted as part of COP26's health commitments to create climate-resilient, low-carbon, sustainable health systems.

Going Green at the Sharm El Sheikh International Hospital on November 14th, 2022

The Egypt Healthcare Authority (EHA) and its function in the current Egyptian healthcare system, universal health insurance, and the event's focus on health in Egypt will be introduced. The steps EHA has already begun to take to make its existing buildings into ecologically friendly, climate-resilient healthcare facilities will also be included.